Jake Hout of Dead Boys performs at the 10th annual Mosswood Meltdown festival (previously called Burger Boogaloo) at Mosswood Park on July 6, 2019, in Oakland, Calif.
Miikka Skaffari/Getty Images
The B-52s, fresh off a 2022 farewell-but-not-really tour, are set to headline the Bay Area festival. It marks the first festival announcement of the year for the new wave band behind kitschy hits like “Love Shack” and “Rock Lobster.”
Since its founding in 2009 (it was called Burger Boogaloo at the time), Mosswood Meltdown has flowered into Oakland’s most notable annual celebration of punk rock ethos. The two-day festival, which takes place on July 6 and 7 at Oakland’s Mosswood Park, has a knack for booking hard-to-get legacy acts. Last year, bookers nabbed riot grrrl legends Bratmobile for their first show in 20 years, as well as 1980s proto-dance-punk pioneers ESG.
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The lineup also features a refreshing array of Bay Area bands. There’s the Bay Area scene’s current indie darling Gumby’s Junk, as well Go Sailor, a defunct ’90s twee band from Berkeley. San Francisco’s Pansy Division, one of the 1990s’ breakout queercore bands, is also scheduled to take the stage. SF garage punk staple Hunx and his Punx is set to play one of the subheadliner slots.
Other top picks include influential New Orleans bounce star Big Freedia, LA electro veteran Egyptian Lover and Bush Tetras, a 1980s no wave band with music as danceable as it is dissonant.
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